Taglined “the premier social event for LGBT community and friends,” the 36th annual event will take place 4-11 p.m. Dec. 8 at The Toledo Club, 235 14th St.

Tickets are $75; a group reserving a table of 10 will receive two complimentary bottles of wine.

Attendees can expect an elegant evening with a served dinner, cash bar, DJ and dancing, live entertainment, 50-50 raffle and plenty of networking and socializing opportunities, said Rick Cornett, a member of the group’s board of directors.

“The Toledo Club is a historic and beautiful place for our event and all the Christmas trees and decorations are breathtaking,” Cornett said. “It is a great way to kick off the holiday season for a good cause that benefits the local LGBT community.”

Jazz vocalist Kelly Broadway will perform during the cocktail hour. Grand Lubell Photography will offer Photo Booth Live. New this year is a special guest performance by the Toledo Opera and a Latin Dance Expo by Michelle Brewer.

A DJ will take requests for dancing all night. Drag entertainers MaKayla Sinclair Styles and Rya Chiffon along with male models from Cityboyz Fashion Menswear will sell 50-50 raffle tickets.

Reserving tickets early is suggested as the 300-seat Gayla has sold out for the past several years, Cornett said. Reservation deadline is Dec. 2.

“Since we have outgrown the main dining room upstairs, the dining portion of the evening will take place downstairs on the entire first floor,” Cornett said. “This gives us an additional 50 seats. We did this last year for the first time and it worked out really well.”

All are welcome, said Cornett, who has attended the event since 1991.

“Although this charity benefits LGBT causes, we want everyone to know that our straight allies are welcome to join us,” he said. “The evening is a fun mix of younger and older people who enjoy the diversity the LGBT community is known for. This isn’t an invite-only event.”

Among this year’s beneficiaries will be Rainbow Area Youth (RAY), a local nonprofit peer group for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning teens age 13-19.

“We are excited to be benefiting Rainbow Area Youth this year for the first time,” Cornett said. “That organization is a great asset to the needs of LGBT youth. Coming out can be a hard and scary time for someone young who is trying to find acceptance from family, friends, classmates and co-workers. I wish a group like RAY had been around in the 1980s when I was coming out and trying to find my way.”

Last year’s Gayla raised $13,000 for beneficiaries including The Toledo Pride Foundation, the Toledo office of AIDS Resource Center Ohio, The Gay and Lesbian Student Endowment Fund at the University of Toledo and The Holiday with Heart Fund. All funds raised stay local.

“Each year we raise more money than the year before,” Cornett said.

The Holiday with Heart Fund is administered through the Toledo Community Foundation. The fund was established in 2011 in memory of Gayla co-founder Dick Flock. Once an initial $25,000 is raised, the fund will be used to support local LGBT causes year round. So far, almost $19,000 has been raised.

“Once this goal is met we will be able to disperse funds to various local LGBT causes throughout the year,” Cornett said. “This year we dipped into our general fund and assisted Pride Center 419 with a donation of $650 to help them with daily operations. We are committed to keeping all funds raised here in Northwest Ohio.”

The Gayla has become much more than just a fun social evening, said Ed Hoffman, Flock’s partner, fellow event co-founder and committee member.

“More and more it’s taking on the role of a major fundraiser so we have something for the future,” Hoffman said. “There are so many needs out there and many of the needs of the straight community and the gay community coincide. The fact of the matter is, it’s important to all.”

Other committee members are Andrew Larsen, Wayne North, Kennyetta White, Steve Maenle and David Bingham. Full time volunteers include Billy Mann and Rickie Waugh.

Gardner Chime to ring at rededication service Nov. 8

The Gardner Chime at Trinity Episcopal Church is being rededicated Nov. 8 after months of restoration.

Beginning at 5:01 p.m., the chime will play four hymns and will ring to announce the following service at 5:15 p.m. The rededication will be done by the presiding Bishop Mark Hollingsworth. The chime will ring a five-minute peal after the service as well.

The chime, a unit of 13 bells collectively weighing 9.6 tons, was donated in 1941 by Ellen Gardner, whose brother designed the Gardner Building. They were purchased to hang in the Trinity Episcopal Church in memory of her parents and siblings. The bells rang for 40 years, but had to remain silent for the last two decades because of decay.

“I’m happy that we were able to make this work,” North previously said. “I’m happy with the number of people who stepped forward when they heard about the bells and donated money to make this a reality.”

The chime began being restored on Aug. 17.

North said new music is currently being recorded for the chime to play during the Advent and Christmas season. A concert on the bells is planned for spring 2014.

Trinity bell project hits halfway point

The fundraising effort to restore the bells in the tower of Trinity Episcopal Church has passed its halfway point — but more people need to chime in to complete the project.

Wayne North, a local veterinarian, and The Old Trinity Foundation started the drive to raise the $50,000 needed to restore the bells on Nov. 30. About $27,000 has been raised so far from foundations and individuals.

“We’ve had a lot of individual donations from all over the country,” North said. He added that people from California, Texas and Florida have donated and many donors have past connections to the church.

The Waite-Brand Foundation, the Walter E. Terhune Fund and the Lamb Foundation have also donated, North said, adding he would like to see more support from Downtown businesses.

There are 12 stationary bells and one swinging bell in Trinity’s tower. The bells are bronze, meaning they are 80 percent copper and 20 percent tin, and weigh 9.6 tons together.

The largest bell is 4,600 pounds; bells today aren’t made to weigh more than 1,000 pounds, North said. The chimes have been silent for more than 20 years due to rust, weather and age.

In 1941, Ellen Gardner, whose brother designed the Gardner Building, purchased the bells to hang in the Downtown church in memory of her parents and siblings.

The Meneely Bell Foundry, established in 1826 in Troy, N.Y., made the Gardner Memorial Bells. The company closed in 1952, making the bells irreplaceable, North said.

North, formerly a member of the now closed St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, became interested in the bells when his congregation merged with Trinity at the beginning of 2012.

“One of the things that fascinated me was the bells. But when I went in and talked to people and said, ‘What about the bells?’ you’d get sort of these blank looks, like, ‘Bells, what are you talking about, bells?’” North said.

Wayne North

North and a representative from a bell company decided to go into the tower to see what was up there. The veterinarian was shocked to see the bells after his steep and dusty ascent into the tower.

“When I got up in the tower, I was absolutely stunned by what was up there, just sitting there,” he said.

“It’s really, really great to know we have this historic set of bells here in Toledo. I think getting them back into playable condition is really important and I think it’ll be a really wonderful addition to the Downtown area.”

Smith’s Bell and Clock Company, a Mooresville, Ind., firm, will oversee the restoration.

JJ Smith, the firm’s owner, said, “They’ve got enough bells here to make a musical scale and we can take advantage of that through our bell controller and preprogram songs to play throughout the day.”

Originally, the bells were played with a manual keyboard. In the 1970s, an electronic keyboard that stimulated direct current solenoids to ring the bells was used. However, the solenoids are no longer made so the new system will need striking hammers and a digital electronic controller.

North said because the new system will be digitized, a musician could record a song ahead of time on a flash drive and schedule it to play later as a concert. There is also an option to play live music.

Originally, North had hoped the project would be finished by spring, but now aims for completion by July 4 so there can be music during the firework celebration.

“We know that once we get the $50,000 that it’s going to be six to 12 weeks before we have the project completed, so I think we’re pushing it at this point,” North said.

Contributions can be sent to The Old Trinity Foundation, Gardner Bell Fund, 316 Adams St., Toledo, 43604. Those who donate more than $500 qualify for a tower visit if they are physically able to make the climb.

Project seeks to restore Trinity church bells

The bells that rest in the tower of Trinity Episcopal Church have not rung out in song in about 20 years — but if one Toledo resident is successful, they will ring again this spring.

Wayne North, a local veterinarian, and The Old Trinity Foundation recently kicked off a donation campaign to raise the $50,000 needed to get the chimes repaired. The bells fell silent because of age, weather and rust, North said. The campaign is seeking contributions from individuals, organizations and businesses.

In 1941, Ellen Gardner, a member of a well-known local family, purchased the bells for the Downtown church in memory of her parents and siblings. Gardner’s home was at the corner of Madison Avenue and Superior Street, now the location of the Gardner Building.

That building was designed by Ellen’s brother, an architect. It was considered the first fire-proof building in Toledo, North said.

Ellen died in the 1960s after moving to the East Coast.

The Meneely Bell Foundry, started in 1826 in Troy, N.Y., produced the Gardner Memorial Bells. It closed in 1952, making the bells irreplaceable, North said.

There are 12 stationary bells and one swinging bell in Trinity’s tower. The bells are bronze, meaning they are 80 percent copper and 20 percent tin, and weigh 9.6 tons together.

The largest bell is 4,600 pounds; bells today aren’t made to weigh more than 1,000 pounds, North said.

Wayne North

North, formerly a member of the now closed St. Mark’s church, became interested in the bells when his congregation joined Trinity at the beginning of 2012.

“One of the things that fascinated me was the bells. But when I went in and talked to people and said, ‘What about the bells?’ you’d get sort of these blank looks, like, ‘Bells, what are you talking about, bells?’” North said.

North was able to go into the tower after he contacted a representative from a bell company to accompany him. He was shocked to see the bells along his dusty and steep ascent into the tower.

“When I got up in the tower, I was absolutely stunned by what was up there, just sitting there,” he said.

Smith’s Bell and Clock Company, a Mooresville, Ind., firm, will oversee the restoration. JJ Smith, the firm’s owner, said the project should take 8 to 12 weeks once started.

“They’ve got enough bells here to make a musical scale and we can take advantage of that through our bell controller and preprogram songs to play throughout the day,” Smith said.

Originally, the bells were played with a manual keyboard. In the ’70s, an electronic keyboard that stimulated direct current solenoids to ring the bells, was brought in. However, the solenoids are no longer made so the new system will need striking hammers and a digital electronic controller.

North said because the new system will be digitized, a musician could record a song ahead of time on a flash drive and schedule it to play later. There is also an option for someone to play a song live.

The revitalized bells will not just be for the religious community, but the whole Downtown, he said.

“We would start it off striking the hour, so people get acclimated to it. We would do noon and midnight rather than every hour until we see how everybody acclimates to that happening. Then we will do a scheduled concert,” North said.

“Let’s say when they have the fireworks on the Fourth of July, we play patriotic music,” he added. “It’s what we call restoring Toledo’s soundscape.”

The Rev. Elizabeth Hoster of Trinity said, “Part of our mission (at Trinity) is to be engaged in the life of the city. This is a new way, or rather a renewal of an old way to do that.”

One recording exists of the bells, North said. The recording, complete with street sounds of the period, was made from the corner of Adams and St. Clair streets in 1945. A 16-year-old girl was playing the bells at the time.

North also hopes to involve children of today with the bells. He said he could see them helping young, local musicians learn about playing bells.

He hopes to get the restoration funds raised by the end of January so the bells are playing by spring.

“It’s really, really great to know we have this historic set of bells here in Toledo. I think getting them back into playable condition is really important and I think it’ll be a really wonderful addition to the Downtown area,” North said.

Smith said the finish on the bells is good and will be left alone. He did say the swinging bell will take more effort to repair and a small crane will be needed to remove some of the materials around that bell for restoration.

The project can offer something to the whole community, Smith said.

“Music is the key to the spice of life. I think this is a project that not only the church can benefit from, but the whole community can get something from. What we’re doing is we’re creating [or] embarking on another area of history with these bells,” he said.

Hoster agreed.

“There’s something about bells in the soundscape of the community that just says that you’re not alone; that says that you’re a part of something very big and you know at that moment that everyone’s hearing the same thing that you’re hearing.

“They’re for everyone. The rich, the poor, the person in the cubicle … the person who is living across the street.”

She also praised North’s commitment to the project.

“This is a classic example of people using their passions for a really good cause. Between his love for music, his love of things as a preservationist, his love of history — he’s carried the flag on this,” she said. “Any time a member of the community has a passion like that and leads the way, it’s wonderful.”

Contributions can be sent to The Old Trinity Foundation, Gardner Bell Fund, 316 Adams St., Toledo, 43604. Those who donate more than $500 qualify for a tower visit if they are physically able to make the climb.

Local man leads campaign to restore Trinity bells

Wayne North, a local veterinarian, wants to change the Downtown soundscape by restoring the bells at Trinity Episcopal Church so they can play again.

A couple of the bells in the Trinity tower

The bells have been silent since the mid-1980s due to weather and rust, North said. In 1941, Ellen Gardner purchased the bells in memory of her parents.

North, formerly a member of the now closed St. Mark’s, became interested in the bells when his congregation joined Trinity.

“One of the things that fascinated me was the bells … but when I went in and talked to people and said, ‘What about the bells?’ you’d get sort of these blank looks, like, ‘Bells, what are you talking about, bells?’” North said.

North was able to go into the tower after he contacted a representative from a bell company to accompany him. He was shocked to see 13 bells along his dusty and steep ascent into the tower.

“When I got up in the tower, I was absolutely stunned by what was up there, just sitting there,” he said.

The restoration of the 13 bells will cost $50,000. The Meneely Bell Foundry produced the bells, but closed in 1952, making the bells irreplaceable, North said.

Wayne North

The revitalized bells will not just be for the religious community, but the whole Downtown.

“We would start it off striking the hour. So people get acclimated to it, we would do noon and midnight rather than every hour until we see how everybody acclimates to that happening. Then we will do a scheduled concert,” North said.

“Let’s say when they have the fireworks on the Fourth of July, we play patriotic music,” he added. “It’s what we call restoring Toledo’s soundscape.”

Rev. Elizabeth Hoster of Trinity said about the project, “Part of our mission (at Trinity) is to be engaged in the life of the city. This is a new way or rather a renewal of an old way to do that.”

Smith’s Bell and Clock Company, a Mooresville, Ind., firm, will oversee the restoration. JJ Smith, the owner, said the project should take 8-12 weeks once started.

“They’ve got enough bells here to make a musical scale and we can take advantage of that through our bell controller and preprogram songs to play throughout the day,” he said.

North said he hopes to get the funds raised by the end of January so the bells are playing by spring.

“It’s really, really great to know we have this historic set of bells here in Toledo. I think getting them back into playable condition is really important and I think it’ll be a really wonderful addition to the Downtown area,” he said.

Contributions can be sent to The Old Trinity Foundation, Gardner Bell Fund, 316 Adams St., Toledo, 43604.

Mark your calendars for Dec. 1, say organizers of the Holiday with Heart Charity Gayla, who are already starting to plan this year’s annual fundraiser benefiting local lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) organizations and causes. Taglined “the premier social event for GLBT community and friends,” the 35th annual event will take place at the Toledo Club, 235 14th St.

“We are very, very proud of the fact we have lasted three and a half decades,” said Rick Cornett, a member of the group’s board of directors. “All of the other LGBT fundraisers and events have folded over the years.”

The Gayla will feature dinner, dessert and coffee as well as dancing, a live DJ, cash bar and plenty of networking and socializing opportunities, Cornett said.

“I love the fact this is a formal affair and everyone is all decked out,” Cornett said. “The historic Toledo Club is a beautiful backdrop for a holiday event like this and the Christmas trees and decorations are breathtaking.”

All are welcome, Cornett said.

Rick Cornett and Wayne North

“This isn’t an invite-only event,” said Cornett, who has attended the event since 1991. “We draw a wide range of people, younger and older, lesbians and gays as well as our straight allies and supporters.”

The past two years have featured a fashion show and drag entertainers, but organizers are looking into going a different entertainment direction this year, said Wayne North, another member of the board of directors.

“We are reconfiguring how we use the Toledo Club facilities. This will be a surprise,” North said. “We always try to add something unexpected to the event to keep the interest high.”

Cost and time are to be determined, but reserving tickets early is suggested, Cornett said.

“The event has sold out every year we have been at the Toledo Club,” Cornett said. “We encourage everyone to get their reservations in early, as we are limited to seating of 300 at the Toledo Club.”

Last year’s Gayla raised $10,000, with $4,000 donated to University of Toledo Medical Center (UTMC) infectious disease specialist Dr. Joan Duggan to assist in her research and treatment of HIV/AIDS and $2,000 to the Pride of Toledo Foundation to assist with Toledo Pride 2012.

“We are looking forward to continuing our working relationship with [Toledo Pride],” Cornett said. “Toledo Pride is the best thing that has happened for the local LGBT community in years and we want to help keep it going.”

The committee deposited the remaining $4,000 into its Holiday with Heart Fund administered by the Toledo Community Foundation. Once an initial $25,000 is raised, the funds will be available for emergency and critical LGBT causes, North said. So far, about $10,000 has been raised.

“We have only held one fundraising event per year and we try to have our money distributed within the first quarter of the following year. If a pressing issue affecting the LGBT community should arise between events, we have not been able to help,” North said. “The $25,000 goal is just a minimum initial target. I hope we eventually will be able to grow the fund significantly. This fund also provides an opportunity for memorial giving in honor of members of the LGBT community.”

Beneficiaries for this year’s event have yet to be chosen, but the group’s emphasis is local causes.

“There are many needs within the LGBT community of Northwest Ohio,” North said. “Holiday With Heart strives to fund locally rather than putting our donations into a large national pool, which would dilute the dollars used locally. Attending and supporting Holiday With Heart helps the local community. The event also brings the community together socially and helps focus the need to work together. We also hope that members of the heterosexual community will support our program to help create greater cooperation and understanding.”

Holiday With Heart evolved from an annual holiday gathering of 16 friends in 1977, Cornett said. The event started raising money for local charities in the early 1990s and in 2008 was granted nonprofit status and became known as the Holiday with Heart Charity Gayla.

“Guests enjoy Holiday with Heart because they get a chance to spend an evening with friends in a safe atmosphere,” North said. “It is an upscale event in the LGBT community. The Holiday With Heart event also gives credibility to the LGBT community in Northwest Ohio.”

Cornett, along with fellow board members Andrew Larsen and Ed Hoffman, will be riding in the Toledo Pride parade at noon Aug. 11 in a royal blue 1965 classic car along with drag queen MaKayla Sinclaire Styles. Holiday with Heart will also have a vendor table at the Toledo Pride festival from 1-7 p.m. Aug. 11. Members will collect names and addresses for the group’s mailing list and pass out special Holiday with Heart bracelets.

Holiday With Heart will also have a tree in the Toledo Club’s annual Holiday Parade of Trees fundraiser, in which decorated Christmas trees are displayed and then auctioned to raise money. Holiday With Heart’s tree will raise money for the Ann Wayson Locher Memorial Fund for HIV Care at UTMC.